2024 National Wildlife Photo Contest: Honorable Mentions & People’s Choice

See 63 honorable mentions and People’s Choice picks from our 2024 photo contest

  • NWF Staff
  • Wildlife Photos
  • Dec 18, 2024

TALK ABOUT FIERCE COMPETITION! With so many stellar entries to the 2024 National Wildlife® Photo Contest, our judges couldn’t help but keep the accolades coming. In addition to the winning photos chosen across nine categories, judges selected the 59 honorable mentions below from more than 29,000 entries submitted by nearly 3,200 photographers.

You weighed in, too! Some 4,500 of you voted on the People’s Choice award, resulting in the winner and three runners-up below.

“So much of photography is about waiting for the right moment: a subtle shift in lighting, a gentle breeze, a serendipitous encounter,” writes Jennifer Wehunt, editorial director of National Wildlife magazine. “When those stars align, boom! The result is like a flashbulb. The photographer feels it, and so do we as viewers, even months or years later.”

View the 2024 National Wildlife Photo Contest honorable mentions and People’s Choice picks below.

SEE THE 2024 PHOTO CONTEST WINNERS || ENTER THE 2025 CONTEST

2024 Honorable Mentions

2024 People's Choice Award



Kingfisher fishing for their offspring, Geel, Belgium

People’s Choice Award Winner
Cheetah After Its Feast
Maria Barroso, Serengeti, Tanzania

In the seven years Maria Barroso has been photographing wildlife, she’s always had one “dream picture” in mind: a cheetah staring down the camera after a kill. On her fifth trip to Africa in as many years, Barroso finally had her chance. “We were on the Jeep; we saw some wildebeests hanging back; and there were three cheetahs there,” says Barroso. “I turned to my friend and said, ‘I think I’m going to get my picture.’ Then the kill happened right in front of us. One of the cheetahs was eating. Then she looked at me and oh my God. I got my picture.”



Golden crowned kinglet, Central Park, New York City

People's Choice Award Runner-Up
Male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird
Karla Mayberry, Chesapeake, Virginia

Karla Mayberry spends a lot of time in her backyard and knows some hummingbirds will appear every year. ”On my back deck, I specifically set it up with plants I knew would attract [the birds],” she says. ”It took me about a month and a half [to get a photo of the male], because the rascal is a little shier than the females, and he likes to come at dusk or just before dawn. On this day, I got really lucky, and he treated me to an afternoon stay.”



Fox and deer, East Brunswick, New Jersey

People's Choice Award Runner-Up
Red Fox on the Beach
Lily Sturm, Sandy Hook, New Jersey

Seventeen-year-old Lily Sturm went to the beach with her aunt and uncle, hoping to take photos of birds. She was pleasantly surprised when she stumbled across this red fox. ”I tried to take a few pictures, but the moment it looked at me, I only got one before it ran off,” she says. ”I really love sharing nature with people and being able to bring nature to them. Especially those who don’t get the chance to see a lot of nature around them.”



Peregrine falcon, Chicago, Illinois

People's Choice Award Runner-Up
Vermillion Flycatcher
Martha Huard, Lago Vista, Texas

Martha Huard often takes bird photos in her hometown of Lago Vista. To capture pictures of elusive vermillion flycatchers, one of her favorite subjects, Huard has honed her skills. ”They are extremely keen, so stealth is required to view them,” she says. ”The summer sun filtering through the tree provided a great contrasting background to show him.”


Your Wildlife Photo Could Be a Winner

The 54th annual National Wildlife® Photo Contest is now open for submissions. First- and second-place winners in multiple categories receive cash prizes, and scores more receive honorable mentions—as well as the chance to see their photos published in print or online.

Amateur and professional photographers, this contest is for you. Show us your most memorable images of wildlife and wild lands, from around the world and your own backyard. Your photos inspire our millions of members and supporters to care about wildlife and to act on its behalf. By submitting your work, you also support the National Wildlife Federation’s mission, ensuring wildlife and people thrive in a rapidly changing world. Good luck!

ENTER THE PHOTO CONTEST


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